When the World Feels Out of Control
I don’t know about you, but to me, there is much to be concerned about these days. Gone are the days when news was given in thirty minute blocks in the evening. If you missed David Brinkley or Walter Cronkite on the evening news, you were out of luck unless you took in the newspaper.
The deluge of news – mostly bad – both domestic and international, along with the hundreds of social media sites reporting news and opinion, and now also AI generated news can make those who care overwhelmed.
You feel that the world is hurtling out of control and there is nothing you can do. This spirit of helplessness can be paralyzing.
A Widow’s Desperate Situation
When I am leaning toward these feelings, I am reminded of a bible story in 2 Kings 4:1-7 about a widow and her olive oil. The widow’s husband had passed away and the creditor was threatening to take her two sons into slavery to pay his debt. She lamented to the Prophet Elisha about her situation.
The Prophet Elisha asked her “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
The Power of “Except”
What a perfectly human response. At first glance, when situations arise and panic strikes, we may think that we have nothing at all. We feel small relative to the circumstances around us. Emotions cloud our view and a sense of helplessness creeps in.
But notice that what the widow thought was “nothing” became the key to her breakthrough. What had been considered insignificant had become sacred. What we have, no matter how small, can be the beginning of everything that we need.
“What we have, no matter how small, can be the beginning of everything that we need.”
The Divine Economy of ‘Enough’
The prophet directed the widow to collect empty jars from neighbors, “then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons.” As her sons brought the jars, she kept pouring until there were no jars left. The prophet then directed her to go sell the oil to pay her family’s debts and to save the rest to take care of her family. The oil was a benefit to the widow and also to her neighbors who were able to purchase the oil for their needs.
Take Personal Inventory
During this season, what is your lament? Is it about personal issues like loneliness, illness, joblessness or grief? Are you concerned about the world – injustice, political division, economic uncertainty, war and famine?
God is asking “How can I help you? Tell me what do you have in your house?”
So today, pause and answer the question “WHAT IS IN MY HOUSE?”
Identify your ‘jar of oil’. Is it your:
- Lived experience
- Presence
- Skills
- Knowledge
- Resources
- Wisdom
- Connections
“Shutting the door suggests that you have to give focus and attention to your ‘jar of oil’ and watch God multiply it when you commit it to Him.”
Faith + Obedience = Miracle
This story is as much about obedience and faith, as it is about God’s miraculous intervention. We all have different gifts according to the grace that God has given us. (Romans 12:6) No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, with God, it is enough. It is all that you need.
The bible says to “Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3) In yourself, it may be impossible, but with God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
A Prayer for Your Journey
Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing us in our moments of overwhelm and helplessness. Help us to see with Your eyes what we have in our houses—not what we lack, but what You have placed in our hands. Give us the courage to shut the door with You, to pour out our small offerings in faith, and to trust You to multiply what seems insufficient. Transform our ‘not enough’ into ‘more than enough’ for Your glory and for the blessing of others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Question
Before you close this page, take a moment to be still and ask yourself: “What is the one thing in my house—my lived experience, my skills, resources, or gifts—that I’ve been dismissing as ‘not enough’? How might God want to use this very thing to bring breakthrough in my current situation?”
Share Your Thoughts
What’s in your house? Share in the comments what God is revealing to you about your own “jar of oil.”
independently-iris.com 
it seems hopeless at this age to even feel this way-why at this time would God want or need to use me – afraid/scared/ yet something keeps stirring inside me!
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Dear Jaki, we are never to old for the Lord to use us! 1 Corinthians 3:18 says that we are continually changing more and more into the image of Christ, “from glory to glory”. This is a continuous process of transformation until we see Him face to face. God is already pleased that you have a heart to serve Him. As the post asks – what do you have. No matter how small or insignificant, offer it to Him. It is enough!
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